Friday, March 29, 2024

How To Maintain A Healthy Urinary Tract

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Urinate And Clean Yourself Before And After Sex

Home remedies for urinary tract infection or UTI (urine infection)

Bacteria can travel up into the urinary tract during sex, increasing your risk of urinary tract infections.

Urinating shortly after sex and wiping yourself has been shown to reduce the odds you will develop an infection.

Urinary tract infections occur more often in women after sex in women because they have shorter urethras than men. That makes it easy for bacteria to go up into the urinary tract .

Though rare, men can get urinary tract infections too and they can transmit pathogens to women as well. The groin is a major source of bacteria so men should clean their groin area as part of good personal hygiene.

How Are Urinary Tract Infections Diagnosed

Your doctor will review your medical history and do a physical exam. Other tests may include:

  • Urinalysis. Lab testing of urine is done to check for various cells and chemicals, such as red and white blood cells, germs , or a lot of protein.

If UTIs become a repeated problem, other tests may be used to see if the urinary tract is normal. These tests may include:

  • Intravenous pyelogram . This is a series of X-rays of the kidney, ureters , and bladder. It uses a contrast dye injected into a vein. This can be used to find tumors, structural abnormalities, kidney stones, or blockages. It also checks blood flow in the kidneys.
  • Cystoscopy. In this test, a thin, flexible tube and viewing device is put in through the urethra to examine the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. Structural changes or blockages, such as tumors or stones can be found.
  • Kidney and bladder ultrasound. This imaging test uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of the bladder and the kidneys on a computer screen. The test is used to determine the size and shape of the bladder and the kidneys, and check for a mass, kidney stone, cysts, or other blockages or abnormalities.

Watch What You Eat And Keep A Food Diary

A condition called interstitial cystitis, which is much more common in women than men, can cause bladder pain, an urgent, frequent need to urinate, and sexual dysfunction. Some people find that certain foods worsen their bladder symptoms, Badlani says. Acidic foods, such as tomatoes and orange juice, may be linked to flare-ups. Keep a diary of your symptoms and see if you can connect them to any foods. If you can, steer clear of these foods and see if you notice any improvement.

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Use Good Bathroom Habits

It’s normal to go to the bathroom 4 to 8 times a day and no more than twice a night. If you go more than twice a night, you may have a condition called nocturia. Women should sit to go to the toilet as they should not hover over the toilet seat. Take your time when on the toilet so that your bladder can empty. If you rush, and do not empty your bladder fully, you could increase your risk for a bladder infection.

Ways To Keep Your Bladder Healthy

Good to know

Very often we take bladder health for granted until a problem starts to develop. Bladder problems can lead to discomfort, difficulty urinating, frequency in urination and in some cases, mad dashes to the bathroom.

The good news is by taking an active role in your bladder health you can avoid infections and reduce the risk of developing several medical problems. Here are seven ways you can help improve your bladders health and help it to function properly.

  • Dont wait long to use the bathroom. Holding in urine can add pressure to the bladder and increase the risk of developing infections.
  • Do not rush when emptying your bladder. Rushing may result in your bladder not emptying completely- this can lead to bladder infections.
  • Avoid food or drinks that contain irritants. Certain food or drinks that contain ingredients such as caffeine, artificial sweeteners, acid, spices, excessive amounts of salt and alcohol can worsen bladder problems.
  • Drink enough water throughout the day. Drinking your daily recommended amount of water can help flush out bacteria in the urinary tract and help prevent bladder infections.
  • Practice Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Kegels are a good way for men and women to maintain bladder control.
  • Avoid constipation by adding fiber to your diet. Constipation often results in a full rectum which adds pressure to the bladder.
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    Ideas To Talk To Your Doctor About

    If you get a lot of UTIs, your doctor may consider:

    • A daily low dose of antibiotics, taken for 6 months or longer
    • Having you test yourself for a UTI at home when you have symptoms
    • Taking a single dose of antibiotics after having sex

    If youâve gone through menopause, you could ask about estrogen vaginal cream. After menopause, women have less estrogen in their bodies, which can cause vaginal dryness and make the urinary tract more vulnerable to infection. The treatment can help balance the areaâs pH factor and allow âgoodâ bacteria to flourish again.

    Listen To Your Bladder

    Your bladder is made of muscle that expands when it fills and contracts when it’s time to empty. It’s best not to wait too long to urinate, which, over time, can stretch your bladder. Future problems could include incomplete emptying, recurrent infections, and urine traveling all the way up to the kidneys.

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    Can You Expect A Long

    Prostadine is a natural supplement that can fight your prostate issues and improve your prostate functions. When you consume the supplement for the required amount of time, the results can stay for a longer time.

    As the supplement is based on scientific studies and makes use of highly qualified ingredients, the results can be everlasting. The consumption of Prostadine for 1-2 months can result in beneficial changes that can stay longer for 1-2 years.

    Avoid Holding Your Pee

    Urinary Tract Infection | How To Prevent UTI (2018)

    Avoid holding in your urine, as this can encourage bacterial growth. Try not to wait more than 3 to 4 hours to pee, and completely empty your bladder each time.

    This is even more important if youre pregnant as pregnancy puts you at an increased risk for a UTI. Holding your pee can further increase the risk.

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    Tips For A Healthier Bladder

    Fortunately, lifestyle tweaks can help many common bladder symptoms. Here are some ways to maintain a healthy bladder.

    1. Keep stress in check

    When youre stressed, the muscles in your pelvic floor tense up, which can lead to dysfunction. Finding ways to lower stress by using a meditation app, learning some simple breathing exercises or simply curling up with a good book may help the muscles of your pelvic floor relax.

    2. Consider preventive medicine

    For young women who get chronic UTIs, it may be worth talking to a healthcare provider about taking a preventive dose of an antibiotic around the time of intercourse. Older women, whose UTIs may be hormone-related, can use an estrogen cream to help balance their vaginal pH.

    Cranberry tablets can also be helpful for women of all ages, since a compound in cranberries prevents bacteria from sticking to the urethra. Just avoid cranberry juice, which is generally very high in added sugar and not as potent as tablets.

    3. Avoid bladder irritants

    Cant seem to pinpoint the cause of your bladder issues? It might be something youre eating or drinking. Common bladder irritants include:

    • Coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages

    • Spicy foods and condiments like wasabi

    • Citrus fruit and juice

    • Soda, sparkling water and other carbonated beverages

    4. Stay hydrated

    5. Care for your pelvic floor

    For women who have bladder problems after childbirth, a physical therapist can help rehabilitate the muscles of the pelvic floor.

    Choose The Right Underwear And Pants

    Its best to wear loose-fitting, cotton underwear. This choice of undergarments allows sufficient airflow to keep the area surrounding the urethra dry. Try to avoid nylon underwear and tight-fitting jeans, as both of these clothing choices can trap excess moisture and facilitate bacterial growth. People who are prone to UTIs should be especially careful when choosing undergarments and pants.

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    Eat Your Fruits And Vegetables

    The benefits of produce are plentifuland there are a couple of specific ways these important foods support urinary tract health.

    First, by providing antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties, says Ramin. Leafy greens, bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots, red cabbage, avocado, and berries are all rich in these compounds. He recommends consuming these foods raw in salads with lemon juice and olive oil. Heat can change the molecular structures of ingredients that may help reduce inflammation, he says.

    Read More: Dietitians Answer The Top 5 Questions They Get About Plant-Based Diets

    Second? D-mannose, a sugar found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, has links to urinary tract health, notes The Vitamin Shoppe nutritionist Brittany Michels, R.D.N., L.D.N., C.P.T. Common food sources include green beans, cabbage, eggplant, turnips, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, black currants, cranberries, apples, peaches, tomatoes, oranges, and blueberries.

    Tips For Keeping Your Bladder Healthy

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  • Avoid bladder irritants – Certain foods and drinks have been associated with worsening symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency or bladder pain. Avoid spicy foods, caffeinated and carbonated beverages, chocolate, tea, vinegar, orange juice, tomato-based foods, or alcoholic beverages.
  • Drink water – Water is essential for bladder health. Drinking a lot of water allows your body to better break down harmful toxins and potential carcinogens and flush them out of your system. Frequent water consumption also leads to frequent urination, giving potentially harmful cells less time in the body.
  • Add lemon or lime– Citric acid can help prevent kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Lemons can flush the bacterial toxins from the body and thus help in removing the infectious bacteria from the bladder. Lime juice also causes the pH of the blood and urinary tract to change from acidic to alkaline thereby hindering the growth of these opportunistic bacteria.
  • Go when you need to – In some cases, the holding of your urine for too long can cause bacteria to multiply. This can lead to a urinary tract infection.
  • Lead a healthy lifestyle – Taking care of your overall health is key to having healthy kidneys, liver, and bladder. Obesity, diabetes, heart failure and stroke can affect your bladders ability to function properly. Once your medical problems are managed, bladder health improves.
  • Quit smoking– Smokers are a minimum of three times more likely to develop bladder cancer vs. non- smokers.
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    What Foods Are Good For The Urinary System

    Along with beverages, it’s also a good idea to know the foods for a healthy bladder and kidneys. If your bladder is sensitive, there are still foods you can enjoy without irritating it. You already know the foods you should avoid. Here are some bladder-cleansing foods you may want to eat.

  • Pears: Pears are a great source of fiber and usually start to ripen sometime in September or October, depending on where you live.

  • Bananas: You’ll find bananas in your local grocery store pretty much all year long. They’re perfect for topping cereals, eating as snacks or putting in smoothies.

  • Winter squash: Despite its name, you can find squash year-round as well, particularly in the fall and winter. Squash varieties include butternut, acorn and spaghetti.

  • Green beans: Add a little color to your plate with green beans. Put them in salads, eat them raw or roast them with a bit of olive oil.

  • Potatoes: Both potatoes and sweet potatoes are bladder-friendly foods.

  • Whole grains: Rice, quinoa and oats are whole grains and just a few examples of the many varieties you’ll find. They’re not typically expensive, either.

  • Lean proteins: Low-fat chicken, pork, turkey, beef and fish are examples of lean proteins. They’re not likely to bother your bladder, particularly when you steam, broil or bake them.

  • Nuts: Cashews and peanuts make perfect protein-rich and bladder-healthy snacks.

  • Breads: Bread makes a great addition to any meal and is overall bladder-friendly.

  • Can Urinary Tract Infections Be Prevented

    These steps may help reduce the chance of getting UTIs:

    • Drink plenty of water every day.
    • Drink cranberry juice. Large amounts of vitamin C limit the growth of some bacteria by acidifying the urine. Vitamin C supplements have the same effect.
    • Urinate when you feel the need. Do not wait.
    • Take showers instead of tub baths.
    • Clean the genital area before and after sex, and urinate shortly after sex.
    • Women should not use feminine hygiene sprays or scented douches.
    • Cotton underwear and loose fitting clothes help keep the area around the urethra dry. Tight clothes and nylon underwear trap moisture. This can help bacteria grow.
    • Repeated bouts of urinary tract infections can be treated with small doses of regular antibiotics.

    Please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns you may have about UTIs.

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    Take Charge Of Your Bladder Health With Cxbladder

    Talk with your doctor about bladder health and how to keep the urinary system clean. If you’re experiencing any bladder cancer symptoms like blood in your urine, seek medical advice right away. Talk with your doctor about using Cxbladder when you begin discussing the diagnosis and monitoring process. Before flushing, look at the color of your urine as an indicator of concerns, including bladder cancer. If there’s blood in your urine or you “see red,” consult with your doctor. If symptoms persist, insist on further evaluation to determine if there could be bladder cancer present.Learn more about Cxbladder Ask our team a question

    Why You Get Utisand How To Better Support Your Urinary Tract Health

    Urinary Tract Infections, Animation.

    Posted on

    According to research, UTIs account for nearly 25 percent of all reported clinical bacterial infections.While they do occur in men, theyre eight times more common in women. In fact, its estimated that a whopping 50 to 60 percent of women will get a UTI in their lifetime.

    Despite the prevalence of UTIs, which can range in severity from mild discomfort to extreme pain, urinary tract health is something many shy away from discussing. Its unfortunate, as there are many useful tips for dodging UTIs.

    Here, experts share why you get UTIs in the first place, plus how to proactively improve your urinary tract health.

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    Visit Your Healthcare Provider Regularly

    Visiting your healthcare provider to check up on your urinary system is always a good idea, whether youre experiencing incontinence symptoms or not. Your provider can perform urine tests, such as a urinalysis, taking urine samples, or urine cultures. They can also identify symptoms of UTIs or tell you what type of incontinence you have.

    Don’t Forget Your Urinary Tract

    For generations, women have relied on cranberry to promote urinary tract health, while men have found support from nutrients including stinging nettle root extract and saw palmetto.

    A healthy lifestyle promotes a healthy waste system. All of the measures you take to pursue a healthy lifesuch as a nutritious diet and regular exerciseconveniently support a healthy kidney, bladder and urinary tract. Drinking plenty of water is especially important to effectively remove waste from your body.

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    How Does Urination Occur

    To urinate, your brain signals the sphincters to relax. Then it signals the muscular bladder wall to tighten, squeezing urine through the urethra and out of your bladder.

    How often you need to urinate depends on how quickly your kidneys produce the urine that fills the bladder and how much urine your bladder can comfortably hold. The muscles of your bladder wall remain relaxed while the bladder fills with urine, and the sphincter muscles remain contracted to keep urine in the bladder. As your bladder fills up, signals sent to your brain tell you to find a toilet soon.

    Pricing And Availability Of Prostadine

    AZO Urinary Tract Defense® : Before and After

    According to the official website, you can purchase Prostadine in three different packages. Either you can choose a single bottle or the 3 and 6 bottles combo package.

    The details of each of these packages are given below:

    • 30-day supply: 1 bottle of Prostadine at $69 + free shipping.
    • 90-day supply: 3 bottles of Prostadine at $177 + free shipping.
    • 180-day supply: 6 bottles of Prostadine at $294 + free shipping.

    You can purchase a single bottle worth $99 for just $69 from the official website. Along with that, the 3 and 6 bottles combos are delivered to you by discounting the original prices of $297 and $594 respectively.

    As per the manufacturers, there is no retail marketing or e-commerce delivery for the product. As the supplement has huge demand in the market, there can be impostors selling under the same name.

    To avoid these pitfalls, you are recommended to purchase the product only from the official website.

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    Risk Factors For Recurrent Utis Include:

    • Frequent sexual intercourse, which increases the likelihood of bacteria entering the urethra and bladder.
    • Using spermicide with or without a diaphragm, as this can harm protective bacteria in the urinary tract that defend against infection.
    • Vaginal atrophy, which is a postmenopausal condition caused by decreased estrogen levels.
    • Genetics, especially the inherited genes that regulate the body’s immune response to infections.

    It’s common for some people to have bacteria in their urine but not experience any symptoms. In these cases, no treatment is necessary.

    Talk with your health care team if you think you have a UTI. You may need an appointment to discuss your symptoms and collect a urine sample.

    You should seek medical attention if you develop a fever, chills, disorientation, or back or side pain. These could be signs of a kidney infection, which requires treatment, or a systemic infection of the bloodstream that requires hospitalization.

    Sarah Suarez is a physician assistant in OB-GYN in La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

    For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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